Strategic Staffing Solutions for a Leading Fabrication Company

The Challenge

A year ago, a prominent fabrication company reached out to us seeking assistance in staffing their shop in Tangent, OR. They had previously worked with other agencies but were dissatisfied with the results. With no internal talent acquisition team and past struggles to hire effectively, the company needed a reliable recruiting partner to fill its staffing needs.

Their primary challenge was staffing a new fabrication shop with ten employees. Despite having one HR personnel, the recruitment process was proving to be inefficient and insufficient due to the small candidate pool in the rural area.

The decision to engage an external partner stemmed from the company's exhaustive in-house endeavors to navigate these recruiting challenges. Despite having their job advertisement posted for half a year, the response was disappointingly low, with only two applicants stepping forward. Recognizing these limitations, the organization made the strategic choice to engage in a partnership with TPD. This partnership aimed not only to resolve the specific recruitment challenges but also to optimize the internal HR function by capitalizing on TPD's expertise and resources.

The Solution

Our first step was a comprehensive role discovery process to understand the client’s specific pain points and staffing requirements. Additionally, over the next few months, with bi-weekly check-in calls, we built a strong relationship with the client, allowing us to receive timely feedback on candidate submissions and adjust our strategies accordingly.

The key issues identified included the small rural talent pool and previous agencies' inability to effectively recruit in such an area. To overcome these challenges, we actively sourced candidates, leveraging our extensive network and industry expertise. We provided the client with market insights and recommendations on competitive wages for positions such as welders and machine operators, ensuring they remained attractive to potential employees.

Understanding the client's strong emphasis on culture, we took the time to deeply understand their organizational culture to find candidates who were not only skilled but also a good cultural fit.

The Results

Our strategic and collaborative approach resulted in the successful staffing of all ten initial positions at the Tangent location. This success led to the client entrusting us with higher-level corporate roles, including three direct-hire Project Manager positions at another location. Remarkably, all roles were filled in approximately two weeks.

The Tangent location, previously plagued by high turnover and attendance issues, saw a significant improvement in retention and engagement. We successfully converted nine temporary employees to permanent hires within 90 days, demonstrating the effectiveness of our recruitment and selection process.

Additionally, our efforts in understanding and matching the company's cultural fit contributed to a higher retention rate and improved workplace morale. Our partnership with the client highlights our commitment to a collaborative approach rather than a transactional one, ensuring we deliver tailored solutions that meet their unique needs.

Interested in learning more about what TPD's Workforce Solutions can do for your company? 

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